1. Field of the Invention
The method disclosed herein relates to a process for cooling and freezing bagels after boiling. The method allows the moisture to be retained within the bagel, which is baked on site as required.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Breads are a food staple around the world and have been for centuries. In 1683 a Viennese baker made a hard roll to honor King John III Sobieski of Poland for saving Vienna from Turkish invaders. He called this roll "bugel". The roll spread throughout the Jewish communities in Eastern Europe, eventually being called the modern name of "bagel". In the early 20th century the bagel was brought to the Americans by Jewish immigrants. For decades the recipe was guarded by the Bagel Bakers Local 338 and the bagel kept its original texture.
In the 1950's the Thompson Bagel Machine was introduced. This revolutionized the bagel market as the machine was able to produce bagels 20 to 40 times the number which were able to be produced by hand. This broke the union hold on the production and bagels started spreading. In 1962 Lender's Bagels were baked, frozen and distributed nationwide to grocery stores. This started the slow rise of the bagel to its current popularity.
This popularity has not, however, come without a price. The original bagel was boiled in a kettle then baked, producing a crusty exterior and a chewy interior. Modern methods have, in many places, changed to a steam, bake method. This softens the bagel, which depending upon taste is either an asset or a detriment.
No matter what the method of cooking, the bagel has gained popularity and is entering a new phase. Many companies are baking and freezing the bagels, then shipping them to smaller stores, grocery stores, delicatessens, etc. The baked or steamed, then frozen and thawed bagels lose a substantial amount of interior moisture and exterior crispness during this process. The difference between the original bagel and the new, softer bagel has prompted the softer bagels to be labeled "California bagel" indicating a variation on the original bagel.
The problem of the short shelf life for bagels has been recognized and is addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,769 to Petrofsky et al. Petrofsky et al discloses a method of freezing boiled bagels utilizing a heated proofer and a wet proofer. Prior to boiling the formed bagels are placed in a heated proofer for approximately six minutes and are then transported to a wet proofer for 45 seconds. The wet proofer seals the bagel surfaces through exposure to a hot moist steam. The bagels are then cooked in boiling water and quick frozen in a -15.degree. F. freezer within eight minutes of being removed from the boiling water. The Petrofsky et al process produces a bagel which stays fresh for approximately six hours.
The instant method disclosed herein produces a bagel which is boiled, cooled, then frozen for shipment to bakeries, stores and delicatessens. The partially cooked bagel is thawed and baked on site, providing the original bagel taste and texture.